Process of refrigeration



Jan. 5, 1932. 5 c; CARNEY 1,839,197

PROCESS OF REFRIGERATION Filed Sept. 19, 1925 ?atented Jan. 5, 1%32 urren STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL C. CABNEY, 0F TULSA,

RATION,

EROCESS OF REFRIGERATION Application filed September This invention relates to a process of refrigeration.

An object of the invention is to provide a system whereby a liquid refrigerant is released from a container or supply tank and expanded in expansion coils for refrigerating purposes, and then recovered and returned to the system for reexpansion.

Another object of the invention is to. provide a process for utilizing a hydrocarbon in a condensed state in a container as means for charging a refrigerating apparatus, then recovering the expanded liquid in the form of a vapor, and redistilling and recondensing the same for reexpansion in the refrigerating apparatus.

In m copending application filed'July 23, 1925, erial No. 45,661, Reissue Patent No. 17,898, dated Dec. 9, 1930, I have disclosed a process whereby a hydrocarbon mixture, including such hydrocarbons as propane, isobutane, butane and ethane, is provided in a liquid form and packaged in a container for use. This hydrocarbon mixture has a relatively low boiling point and, upon expansion, is suitable for refrigerating purposes.

The present process contemplates the use of a hydrocarbon mixture of the general character produced by the process of my copending application, above identified, as the refrigerating agent for a refrigerating apparatus. The process also contemplates the recovery of the expanded refripcrrnt and the return thereof to the supply tank in a condition wherein it may be utilized for recxpansion in the refrigerating apparatus.

In the drawing is illustrated diagrammatically an apparatus suitable for the practice of the process. By reference to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing the process may be readily understood.

In the drawing 1 indicates a supply tank for containing the refrigerant in a liquid state. The tank may be charged from-re plapeable steel cylinders l iro'ritaining the Ire frigerant. The cylinders are connected into the tank through a connection 1, there being provided a valve 1 for controlling the flow from the cylinder into the tank. Thus at the 19, 1925. Serial N0. 57,323.

initiation of the operation the tank may be conveniently charged and the refrigerant may be replenished from the cylinder as required to maintain a suflicient quantity of the refri erant for the operation of the process. This tank is'preferably provided with a vent valve 2 which is outwardly actuated for the purpose of relieving the system of accumulated insoluble gases. The content of the tank 1 issupplied to the expansion coils 3 of a refrigerating apparatus 4, through a pipe 5 that is controlled by a valve 6. The refrigerating apparatus diagrammatically illustrated at 4 may be of any desired form, and may comprise a refrigerating element for ice boxes, may be utilized as a condenser, or may be connected by suitable means with a brine tank for ice manufacture, or for similar technical purposes. I

In order to lower, the temperature resulting from the expansion of the liquid refrigerant in the expansion'coils 3 of the refrigerator apparatus, a compressor or vacuum pump 7 may be placed in a line comprising a pipe 8 which extends between the refrigerator and an absorber 9. It will be understood that the compressor or vacuum pump in communication with the expansion coils will reduce the pressure 'of the vapor of the liquid refrigerant in the expansion coils of the refrigerating apparatus, thereby reducing the tem rature of the expanding refrigerant an increasing the mean temperature difference be tween the vapor of the refrigerant and the element subjected to the cooling action of the expansion coils. 4

The compressor or vacuum pump 7 is also in communication with the interior of the ,absorber 9 which comprises a sealed cylindrical shell with an extended internal surfam. The high pressure side of the compressor or vacuum pump is connected into the absorber and thereby induces an internal pressure in the absorber. The absorber contains a quantity of hydrocarbon, preferably a petroleum oil, having a low vapor; ressure at the temperatures at which it will absorb the vapor evacuated from the expansion coils of the refrigerator. Y

veniently accomplished by a cooling coil 10' disposed in the absorber 9 and connected with a supply pipe 11 and a return pipe 12. The absorber is also preferably provided with an outwardly operating valve 13 for relieving the interior thereof from gases that are insoluble in the absorbent liquid.

By balancing the temperatures and pressures within the absorber 9 the absorbent liquid will take up in solution substantial- 1y all of the vapor evacuated from the expansion coils of the refrigerator. The maximum degree of absorption is accomplished in the lower strata of the-liquid in the absorber and from this point the liquid is forced, under pressure, from a pump 14 from the absorber 9 through a pipe 15 to a heat exchanger 16 from which it is delivered through a pipe 17 having a nozzle 18 to the interior of a still or rectifying column 19. The rectifying column may be provided with a plurality of bafile plates for facilitating the segregation, of the vaporous component of the solution comprising the absorbent liquid and the dissolved vapor.

The still or rectifying column. 19 may com prise a cylinder having any desired heating means in connection therewith such, for instance, as a steam coil 20 supplied by a steam supply pipe 21 and connected at its opposite end with a return pipe 22 that communicates with a steam trap 23'. The segregation of the vaporous component of the solution under treatment in the still is facilitated by providlng a compressor or vacuum pump 24 in a pipe 25 The pipe 25 is in communication with the upper part of the still or rectifymg column 19. It will be understood that the low pressure side of the compressor or vacuum pum is in communication with the still or rectifying column 19, thus reducing the pressure in the still and thereby causing the more rapid segregation of the vaporous component from the heavier liquid componentand, by the proper balancing of temperature and pressure, a substantial segre.

gation of the vapor, which in a condensed form provides the refrigerant, may be effected. After the vaporous component has been driven off, the heavier hydrocarbon liquid is withdrawn from the lower part of the still or rectifying'column 19 through a pipe 26 from whence it passes through the oration the volatile fraction of heat exchanger 16, being reduced in temperature by action of the heat exchan er, due to the fact that the solution flowing t rough the pipe 15 is of a considerably lower tem perature. After initial cooling by the heat exchanger 16, the returnin absorbent liquid is conducted by a pipe 2? to a cooler 28, and then returned to the absorber 9 through a pipe 29 discharging through a nozzle 30 internally of said absorber.

The vaporous component is conducted from the compressor or vacuum pump through a pipe 31 to a condenser 32 that may be cooled in any suitable manner to a temperature which, balanced with the internal pressure, will result in a condensation of the'vaporous component so that the same maybe conducted in a liquid state from the condenser 32 through a pipe 33 to the supply tank 1 for re-use as a refrigerating agent.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The process of refrigeration which consists in evaporating a liquid hydrocarbon having a low boiling point in'expansion coils raising the pressure of the vapor evacuated from said coils, and injecting the vapor into a hydrocarbon liquid having a relatively high boiling point.

2. The process of refrigeration which consists in evaporating a liquid hydrocarbon having a low boiling point, raising the pressure of the vapor evacuated, injecting the vapor under pressure into a hydrocarbon liquid having a relatively high boiling point, istilling the solute to separate the hydrocarbon having the low boiling point from .the hydrocarbon having the high boiling re.-evaporation and the hydrocarbon having the high boiling point for re-use as the ab sorbent medium.

3. The process of refrigeration which consists in evaporatinga liquid hydrocarbon in expansion coils by maintaining a pressure less than atmospheric in the coils, raising the pressure of the evacuated vapor, injecting the vapor under pressure into a menstruum comprising a relatively heavy hydrocarbon continuously removing the vapor-laden menstruum, evaporating the volatile fraction of the solution under reduced pressure, and then condensing the same and returning it to the system for re-evaporation.

, 4. The process of refrigeration which consists in evaporating a liquid hydrocarbon in expansion coils bv maintaining a reduced pressure in the coils, raising the pressure of the evacuated vapor, injecting the vapor under pressure into a menstruum comprising a relatively heavy hydrocarbon, continuously removing the vapor-laden menstruum, evapthe solution under reduced pressure, then condensing the raising the pressure upon the Vapor,

same and returning it to the system for reevap0rati0n,'and returning the menstruum after separation from the vapor and after cooling the same to the system. 4

5. The process of refrigeration which consists in evaporating a liquid hydrocarboni an absorbing the hydrocarbon in a second hydrocarbon.

SAMUEL C. CARNEY. 

